The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-01-07

William A. and Robert Pinkerton related
20 United Press reporter the true story
Of the search for and capture Of those en-
gagged in the robbery Of the Adams Ex-
press messengcro on srain Of tho 81. Louis
4 San Francisco railroad on October =
linn ediatciy after the robbery the
Pinkerton agency Of this city received q
dispatch from the superintendent Of the
Adams Express in ST. Louis. requesting
detectives 70 come Immediately 70 that
city 20 take charge OF the investigation
into the case. Robert Pinkcrton was de-
tailed for the purpos =. and, with force Of
operatives, left for st. Louis Their first
work was TO secure . list Of all employees
Of the express company who had been
discharged during tho year. and 70
ascertain their whereabouts. One OF these
discharged employees named w. W. Haight
| was suspected Of being connected with
1 the robbery. and he was carefully traced
I up He had been discharged on suspicion
1 Of having taken valnablcs from express
packages. Haight was found 70 have
! been in Chicago until October e. when he
/! left ostensibiy for Florida. and day or
| two later his wife had received consider
/! able sum Of money from him In letter.
1 Part Of the time Haight was In Chicago
/ he had driven q wagon for Fred Wittrock,
l coal and wood dealer on Lake street,
l and had also been driver for Tom
1 Weaver. whose wife kept laundry on
| West Lake street In making inquiries
1 about Haight in Chicago IL was learned
| that Wittrocl< was absent from his place
/ Of business. having gone with Tom Weav-
| er, II was stated at his place OF business.
70 Arkansas on hunting excursion car
Fying two valises q shotgun and an army
. mnsket The detectives were startled 70
find that Wittrocks description exactly
| answered that furnished BY Foths-ing-
ham, the express messenger, o. 'Jim
! Cummings.'' the man who had committed
the robbery They obtained some
Of the bills which Wittrock had
wood furnished. and these were taken to
St. Louis and compared by an expert with
the Jim Cummings letters which had
been sent TO the st. Louis Cob Democrat.
and il was decided that the man who had
written the letters was the same one who
had written the coal bills. This matter be-
ing decided. the detectives began . hunt
for Wittrock They traced him up the
Missouri River on the alleged hunting
excursion. and also discovered he had.
with another man, occupied rooms
at the house Of Mrs Berry. respectable
lady Of st. Louis. for more than week
Upon searching the room in Mrs Berry's
house the men had occupied G Q. d. seal
was found stamped Pacific Express Com
panv. St Charles. Mo- and two scraps Of
red labels which were recognized as part
Of the label used BY the Express company.
On October 3, the day Of the robbery.
Wttrock. who went by the name Of Ed
Williams. had left Mrs. Berry's house,
stating he was going 20 Kansas City The
other man had left day or two before.
Oscar Cook. formerly Of Lcavenworth-
was at this time in Kansas City. He was
4 wa rm friend Of the Wittrock family,
and was very flush Of money. claiming 70
have drawn large sum in lottery. He
was carefully Swallowed. and was found
20 be the man who mailed the letters TO
the St Louis Gio5s- Democrat signed Jim
Cummingsr
Hairht who was in Nashville. was also
shadowed He had gone into the roofing
business and was doing well During all
this time the whereabouts Of Witfrock
could not be learned. HIS residence in
this city on Lincoln street was carefully
watched. and last Tuesday night man
I was seen TO enter. who was believed TO be
Vittrock The house was closely guarded
two days and nights, but Wittrock did moi
| leave.
On Friday. Tom Weaver entered the
| house and remained some time. Towards
noon Wittrock's brother-in-law Kinney
| came out Of the house, and after looking
carefully around. made signal a. * Z
, show Wittrock the coast was clear. A
few minutes later . large man came out o
. the house and walked quickly towars
! Madison street. He was joined by Kinney
I and the pair were followed by the de
tectives. who were satisfied that the larg
l man was the long sou CHIT or wittrock. tn
! detectives succeeded by some maneuyerinI
) in keeping Wittrock and Kinney In sigh
y without themselves being suspected Of
; shadow. The thieves having reaches
D Mad ison street. entered dago saloon q
the corner OF Lincoln street The thre
) detectives consulted and agreed 70 max
y the arrest in the saloon. As they wer
J. talking. Kinney came out and went bac
= towards the house on Lincoln street. III
y detectives lodged back till he was out Q
i sight. when they entered the saloor
r Wittrock was in the center 9
d the saloon talking 70 ma
4 rious shadow. Wittrock turned susp
+ ciously as the detective entered. IN
:. started for the door, Pinkerton was q
Il the cigar stand and as Wittrock passed b
= grabbed him The thief ran his hand
e | into his pockets. but before he could %
e one or the operatives had pistol It b
r breast with an order to ''up hands"
) There was some scuf1e. which shortl
n ended in both wittrock and his shado'
u being ironed together u the bar In n
h formers pocket were found two 4-calibr
q guns When asked what be was arreste
"a for. the detective replied 70 Wittroci
). For a burglary on West Madison street
i. whercupon the thief looked relieved. n
il said. I'm business man. my name h Ere
10 wi,trock. and run coal yard on LAX
d street, He had red pocketbook wit
70 e7i0 He was asked the name Of the ma
d. who had Just left him. and answered q
once. AhIs name - Kinney and he vi
Df prove who am
a. Pinkcrton quietly waited until Kline.
81 came back. when he. too. after q scufae
X was ironed TO the other two. TIE shado'
in proved to be harmless fellow name
e Burnham, who had no idea Of the work b
was st.
the Long and short 81 IL.
o. CrxcfxxArf. Dec. 27-Frank Weigmai
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